Canez opts to red shirt this season
Making the leap from high school baseball to NCAA Division I
college ball is a huge one, but it wasn’t too big to prevent last
year’s standout from San Benito High School Karson Klauer from
making the San Jose State University team this year as a
freshman.
Canez opts to red shirt this season
Making the leap from high school baseball to NCAA Division I college ball is a huge one, but it wasn’t too big to prevent last year’s standout from San Benito High School Karson Klauer from making the San Jose State University team this year as a freshman.
In fact Klauer, who was Co-MVP of the Tri County Athletic League a year ago, has started somewhere in the infield in every game this season for the Spartans.
“I’ve played a couple of times at third and second. I don’t really have a set position,” said the 19-year-old utility player. “I’m just glad that I’ve had the opportunity to play.”
According to Klauer, the most dramatic adjustment that’s he’s had to make from high school to college ball has been in the batter’s box.
“Everybody at this level has a second and a third pitch that they can throw for strikes,” he said. “They all have an out pitch. They throw a little harder, too, but I was able to get used to that playing a lot of fall ball.”
Longtime SJSU coach Sam Piraro has been most impressed with Klauer’s desire to play and compete, as well as his tenacity on the field.
“I look for players that give it their best effort day in and day out,” said Piraro, whose Spartans are now 3-4 in the early going this season. “Karson is a tough kid, a smart kid. I like to surround myself with people who don’t make mistakes, and he has some of those qualities. He’s not going to leave the car door open or forget to shut the door and lock it (so to speak).”
In high school, Klauer had been a standout third baseman as well as the starting quarterback on the Baler team that won the Central Coast Section Large School Division title in the fall of 2005.
Realizing that his best opportunity to get noticed by Division I coaches and earn a scholarship, Baler baseball coach Michael Luna opted to move Klauer, who stands 6-feet tall, to second base at the start of last season.
This season Piraro has had Klauer working a great deal on his swing mechanics, which up until now have been considered unorthodox.
“We’re trying to improve his hitting mechanics and teach him leverage and proper weight distribution while hitting,” said Piraro, who has been at SJSU since 1987.
“Sam is a real good coach,” Klauer said. “As an infield coach, he really knows his stuff.”
For anyone who watched Klauer dominate in the TCAL a year ago, it may be surprising to learn that his biggest struggles this season have come in the batter’s box.
Last year Klauer won the league’s Triple Crown – meaning that he led the TCAL in batting average (.508), homeruns (5) and RBIs (30).
But instead of facing pitchers with fastballs that barely broke into the low 80s he’s now facing pitchers that can paint fastballs on the corners in the 90 mph range.
“He’s not playing Live Oak anymore,” said Piraro, who is the winningest coach in SJSU history. “His challenge now is on offense because he’s never seen pitching like this before. But he’s one of the guys that are going to get it. You have to be around him on an everyday basis to start to see some of the things that he does. If you see him for the first time, he won’t knock your socks off, but I never underestimate people with his makeup. He’s a guy you want on your side, put it that way.”
Piraro has been most impressed so far with Klauer’s defensive skill set.
While Klauer has already cracked into the starting lineup, Breyon Canez, his former teammate and player that he shared last year’s MVP award with, has not.
A 6-foot-4 left-handed hurler and star pitcher a year ago on the San Benito High baseball team, Canez does not – at least at this point – have enough velocity to compete at the Division I level, according to Piraro.
As a result, Canez will red shirt this season and work on his strength, conditioning and technique in order to add speed to his pitches. However, with that said, given Canez’ size, the fact that he’s left-handed and still growing gives him a huge upside in the years to come.
A year ago with the Balers, Canez was almost un-hittable, posting an ERA of 1.80 and going a perfect 7-0 on the hill in league play. He also showed promise with the bat, hitting for a .406 average.
“We’re hoping that he gets a little stronger,” Piraro said. “Right now, his velocity is nowhere near where it needs to be. But he’s got a great makeup, is a good learner and a good kid. But he’s definitely not ready to pitch DI level ball his freshman year.”
That’s not a surprise. Most freshman athletes seldom break into the starting lineup, which is why Klauer’s feat is so impressive.
Canez has most recently been clocked in the low 80s range. Piraro believes that he will be most effective and able to make the pitching staff when he is able to hit the 84-86 mph range.
“Lefties can compete at that velocity. A right-hander would have to throw even harder,” Piraro said. “I don’t think people realize just how big of a jump it is to go from high school to playing Division I baseball in California. Baseball in the state of California is the best in the country. There is no such thing as bad opponents out here.”
John Bagley can be reached at
jb*****@pi**********.com
.
